Scientific and Academic Council

The Scientific and Academic Council (SAC) is one of the key bodies of CESAG’s academic governance. It brings together faculty members and academic leaders responsible for supporting General Management in defining, evaluating, and continuously improving the training offerings, academic programs, and overall academic quality.

The SAC ensures pedagogical coherence across curricula, alignment of programs with regional and international standards, as well as compliance with CAMES requirements and accreditation processes. It reviews issues related to academic orientations, formulates recommendations, and contributes to steering pedagogical and scientific innovations.

As a major consultative body, the Scientific and Academic Council plays a decisive role in ensuring the quality of education, the relevance of teaching programs, and the consolidation of CESAG’s positioning as a leading institution of excellence within the WAEMU area.

Board of Directors

The CESAG Board of Directors is the supreme governance body responsible for defining the institution’s major strategic orientations, overseeing their implementation, and ensuring sound administrative, academic, and financial management of the Center. Chaired by the Governor of the BCEAO, it brings together representatives from the eight UEMOA Member States, as well as regional, academic, and professional institutions involved in the development of human capital and management in Africa.

As a decision‑making body, the Board of Directors ensures transparency, accountability, and the alignment of CESAG with the community objectives set by UEMOA and the BCEAO. In particular, it oversees the approval of strategic plans, the validation of academic programs, resource management, and the institutional development of the Center.

History

The African Center for Higher Studies in Management (CESAG) was established following the determination of the Heads of State of the West African Economic Community (CEAO) to provide the region with a high‑level institution for management education. This strategic decision was taken during the Bamako Conference in 1978, paving the way for the creation of a center capable of supporting the modernization of African economies.

Following the takeover of Senegal’s Higher School of Business Management (ESGE), CESAG officially began its activities in 1985, marking the start of its mission in postgraduate education and capacity building for senior executives across the region.

The dissolution of CEAO in 1994 led to the integration of CESAG under the supervision of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), which formally confirmed this arrangement in 1995. This institutional change provided CESAG with enhanced stability and a strong community anchoring within the WAEMU framework.

In 2005, the institution reached a significant milestone with the launch of CESAG Business School, expanding its academic offerings and fully integrating the Bachelor–Master–Doctorate (BMD) system to welcome students from the undergraduate level onward.

Since then, CESAG has continued its transformation to become a recognized graduate school aligned with international standards, a member of global academic networks, and a driver of strategic initiatives in management education, applied research, and capacity building.